Flow channeling device and valve actuating means for pressurized container



M y 1963 H. SORBER ETAL FLOW CHANNELING DEVICE AND VALVE ACTUATING MEANSFOR PRESSURIZED CONTAINER Filed 001;. 51, 1961 INVENTORS HILBERT SORBERKENNETH G.COOL |DGE ATTORNEY 3,089,625 Patented May 14, 1963 3,089,625FLOW CHANNELING DEVICE AND VALVE ACTU- ATING MEANS FOR PRESSURIZEDCONTAINER Hiibert Sorber, Avenel, and Kenneth G. Coolidge, West Orange,NJ., assignors to Schering Corporation, Bloomfield, N.J., a corporationof New Jersey Filed Oct. 31, 1961, Ser. No. 148,)09 1 Claim. (Cl.222-393) This invention relates to improvements in liquid dispensingdevices and, in particular, to a valve actuating and flow channelingdevice for pressurized containers.

It is a particular object of the present invention to provide aremovable valve actuating and flow channeling device for pressurizedliquid dispensing containers.

Many liquid materials, including medicinals, are packaged in containersor cans under pressure for dispensing by spraying in the form of anaerosol. Most of the containers are intended to be thrown away after thecontents have been used and it is an object of the present invention toprovide a valve actuating and flow channeling device which may beconveniently attached to such containers and removed therefrom forfurther use after the container is empty.

Another object is to provide a flow channeling device that may beseparately sterilized by conventional heat or gas sterilizationprocedures. Such a device has particular utility for dispensingmedicinal compositions where, after use, the flow channeling device may'be disposed of or set aside for subsequent sterilization and a new orre-sterilized flow channeling device may be con veniently and quicklyinserted into operative arrangement with the pressure container, therebyreducing to a minimum the spread of infections or diseases beingtreated.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention areprovided by a valve actuating means for a pressurized container of thetype having a dip tube terminating at one end adjacent the bottom of acontainer and at the other end in a chamber, an outlet from the chamber,a valve member in the chamber normally resiliently urged into sealingengagement with said outlet, said valve actuating mechanism comprising:an elongated removable tubular flow channeling member, the inlet end ofthe tubular member adapted to 'be sli-da'bly received in the outlet fromthe container chamher and when depressed to urge the valve member intothe unsealed position, a lever member, a hand-engaging surface and apivot point at opposite ends thereof, an opening in the lever memberbetween the pivot point and the hand-engaging surface to slidablyreceive a substantial portion of the flow channeling member and adaptedto engage the said flow channeling member adjacent the inlet endthereof, a fulcrum member supported about the outlet end of thecontainer having means engaging the lever for pivotal movement at thepivot point thereof.

The invention will be more particularly described with reference to theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view in partial section of a pressurizedcontainer embodying the structures of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through a portion ofthe valve, the valve actuating mechanism and the flow channeling deviceof the invention.

Referring to the drawings, generally designates a pressurized containerprovided with applicants improvement generally designated 12.

The container 10 has a generally cylindrical side wall 14, a bottom 16,and a recessed top 18. The top 18 is provided with a central opening 20which supports generally internally of the container a dispensing valvestructure 22.

The dispensing valve structure 22, in the illustrated form of theinvention, is of the type that is adapted to dispense a metered quantityof material from the container each time the valve mechanism is opened.

The valve mechanism 22 includes a dip tube 24, the lower end 26 of whichterminates adjacent the bottom 16 of the container. The upper end 28 ofthe dip tube 24 discharges into a dispensing chamber 30. The dispensingchamber 30 is provided with a reciprocally mounted valve member 32 whichincludes a stem portion 34 having a tapered end 36 and an enlarged headportion 38. The stem 34 has a diameter substantially less than theinternal diameter of the chamber 30 and the opening from the dip tube 24to the chamber 30 is sized such that liquid is forced into the chamberwhen the valve member 32 is in the position illustrated in FIG. 3 withthe enlarged head portion 38 in sealing engagement with a sealing member40 about the discharge outlet 42 from the container. The valve member 32is normally urged into this position by the spring 44.

The valve structure 32 also includes a tubular extension portion 46provided with a radial opening 48 which communicates with the bore inthe tubular extension 46. In operation of the metered quantity flowdispensing valve structure, when the valve 32 is depressed, the lowertapered portion 36 is urged into liquid and pressure sealingrelationship to the opening between the upper end 28 of the dip tube 24and the valve chamber 30. Thereafter, further movement of the valve 32brings the radial opening 48 into communication with the press-urizedfluid in the chamber 30 and the pressurizing gas forces the materialwithin the chamber 30 out of the tubular outlet 46. Material willcontinue to flow from the outlet 46 until the quantity of the materialin chamber 30 is dispensed. Upon release of the valve, the coil spring44 urges the valve mechanism into the position shown in FIG. 3 wherebythe outlet from the container is sealed and another quantity of materialfrom the container flows into the chamber 30.

In order to channel the dispensed material to where it is needed, anelongated removable tubular flow channeling member 5t having a reduceddiameter lower end 52 is provided for the container. The reduceddiameter lower end 52 is sized to be slidably received in the outletfrom the container and when inserted to engage the upper surface of thetubular extension piece 46 of the valve structure 32.

In the illustrated form of the invention, the elongated removabletubular flow channeling member 50 is gradually tapered outwardly fromits outlet end 54 to a boss or ferrule 56 positioned adjacent the inletend 52 thereby to provide a medicinal flow channeling element which maybe conveniently inserted in body orifices to direct metered quantitiesof medicinal where desired.

The elongated removable tubular flow channeling member 50 may beconstructed of, for example, stainless steel whereby the =flowchanneling member may be conveniently sterilized or the flow channeling50' may be cast or molded from suitable plastic compositions and bedisposed of after each treatment.

The assembly also includes a lever member 60 having a dependinghand-engaging portion 62 and a pivot point forming portion 64. Betweenthe hand-engaging portion 62 and the pivot forming portion 64, the leverarm 60 is provided with an opening 66 which opening is large enough toslidably receive the tapered portion of the flow channeling member 50whereby the lever member 60 lies in engagement with the boss or ferrule56 formed about the inlet end of the flow channeling member.

A fulcrum member 68 is supported about the outlet end of the containerby means of a ring element 70 and the fulcrum member is provided with anupstanding arm 72 which contacts the lever arm 60 at the pivot point 64.In the illustrated form of the invention, the upstanding arm 72 isre-curved as at 74 to receive a formed end 76 of the lever member 60which formed end, together with an offset portion 78, restricts slidingmovement of the lever 60 in a direction normal to the pivotal axis ofthe lever member about the fulcrum member 68.

To disassemble the improved valve actuating and liquid dispensing deviceof the invention, the lever arm 60 is rotated about the flow channelingmember 50 in either of the directions indicated by directional arrows Ain FIG. 2 to free the end 64 of the lever arm 60 from the fulcrum member68. Then the lever arm and the flow channeling member 50 may be removedfrom the top of the can and the flow channeling member 50 may be slippedfrom the opening 66 in the lever arm. To reassemble the device, thereverse of the above procedures is followed.

In operation of the device, with the elements assembled as shown in FIG.1, pressure on the hand-engaging portion 62 of the lever 60 in thedirection of the directional arrow B causes the lever arm 60 to pivotabout the pivot point 64 which, in turn, urges the flow channelingmember 50 downwardly against the resilient force of the spring 44,opening communication between the chamber 30 and the radial opening 48in the upper end 46 of the valve member 32 to permit a metered quantityof liquid to be dispensed through the opening in the tubular member 50.

From the foregoing description of the invention, it will be seen thatthe aims and objects thereof are fully accomplished. It will also beapparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may bemade in the structures of the invention without departing from the scopeof the appended claims. For example, while the improved flow channelingand valve actuating mechanism has been illustrated and described asattached A to a metering type pressure container, it will be apparentthat the structures may be readily employed with non-metering typepressure containers.

We claim:

Valve actuating means for a pressurized container of the type having adip tube terminating at one end adjacent the bottom of the container andat the outer end in a chamber, an outlet from the chamber, a valvemember in the chamber normally resiliently urged into sealing engagementwith said outlet, said valve actuating means comprising an elongatedtapered removable tubular flow channeling member, the inlet end of thetubular member adapted to be slidably received in the outlet from thecontainer chamber and when depressed to urge the valve member into theunsealed position, thereby providing a removable continuation of theflow channel through said valve, a flange adjacent the inlet end of thetubular flow channeling member, a lever memher, a hand-engaging surfaceand a pivot point at opposite ends thereof, a bore in the lever memberbetween the pivot point and the hand-engaging surface, said bore beingsized to slidably receive the tapered portion of the flow channelingmember and to engage the flange about the inlet end of the flowchanneling member, a fulcrum member supported about the outlet end ofthe container, said fulcrum member having a re-curved surface portionadapted to slidably receive the lever arm for pivotal movement of thelever arm about its pivot point.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS674,674 Fernald May 21, 1901 1,403,197 Rieck Jan. 10, 1922 2,765,965Reswick Oct. 9, 1956 2,788,925 Ward Apr. 16, 1957 2,941,700 Gable June21, 1960 3,039,654 Lopatka et al June 19, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 366,626Great Britain Feb. 11, 1932

